Apparatus fob cutting gauments



FREDERIC H, MOORE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING GAR-MENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent N o. 34,766, dated March 25, 1862.

To all whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERIC H. MOORE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Cutting Out Garments, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is an end view of the machine. Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the same. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6' and 7 detailsto be referred to.

The object of` my present invention is to facilitate the cutting outl of garments and other articles which are cutfrom cloth to a pattern.

I' am aware that a machine has been constructed for this purpose, in which a straight-edged knife having a reciprocating motion played up and down vertically through a table on which the goods to be cut were placed. This knife from its vertical motion depended for the resistance to its cut on the operator pushing the goods up against its edge. This with cloth or other soft and pliable material was'not suiiicient to enable it to work rapidly and follow the pat-tern accurately. This objection can be obviated by inclining the knife so that it will cut down onto the goods and press them down onto the solid bed or table, instead of crowding them up before the knife. But a straight-edged knife, so inclined will not answer for cutting out curves of a small radius, such as are frequently required in cutting out garments for men and boys, here the narrower and thinner the blade the more readily will it follow the small curve.

My present invention consists in the employment of a narrow blade which when in a vertical or nearly vertical position, is received into a guard or shield, which protects and strengthens it and prevents its twisting when cutting on a small curve; and'in so hanging the blade that it may be inclined to the plane of the table as required to suit the work on which it is to operate and to have the advantage of the draw cut when cutting on a straight line or on a large curve.

That others skilled in the art may understand and use my invention I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried out the same.

In the said drawings A is a table of suffi cient size to accommodate the goods to be out; a shaft supported by hangers b, ex-

tends lengthwise under the table; it carries a Hy wheel B", and is revolved by a treadle-V C andv crank a. Another crank pin,

end of the sheath rl and playsr in a slot in a` cross head g., attached to the head. of the sheath lf it is retracted toward the sheath by a. spring e, andy is retained in position when adjusted by a pawl 4 whichengages with notches 5 on the upper edge of the cross-head. I' find an' adjustment of the knife desirable, as when cutting on a small curve, the narrower the blade,A the better;

and, to attain this I use a narrow blade and raise itl to its verticalv position, the back of the knife being supported by the shield or sheath d which prevents the blade from being twisted; while when cutting on a straight line an inclination of the blade which will give to it a draw cut, enables it to work more rapidly.

In Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are shown varied forms of the knife and methods of hanging or carryitng it, which I have tried, and some of which will be found well adapted to particular work (for instance, Fig. 6 to cutting out pocket holes), but the form shown in Fig. l, is that which I prefer, the edge being bent forward at one place near the middle of its length to facilitate its cutting when in a vertical position.

A metal plate m Figs. 2 and 3 is let into the top of the table and has a slot in it through which' the knife plays, the knife being set so that one of its sides near its cutting edge shall run close to or in contact with the plate which should be made adjustable that it may be set up as it wears or the knife is ground away, or a stationary blade may be set in the table for the reciprocating blade to cut against. Another plate or pair of plates 0 may be attached to the under side of the table to prevent its being worn away, and also to help steady and guide the blade.

As a convenience for cutting some portions of garments such as the lapels 'of coats where the point of the shears would generally be used, and valso as a modification of my invention, I have applied to the table A near one end as shown in Figs. l and 2 a blade p which is pivoted atfor near the surface of the table, and is attached to a foot o which extends below the table and is vibrated by a cam s on the side of the fly wheel B. A spring tholds the foot in contact with the cam. But when not required to be used the blade may be pressed down below the surface of the table and be held in that position by a bolt or stop g which is pushed in under the foot-11. This blade like the other cuts against the edge of a plate or a stationary blade set in the table. "Or both of the blades may be made to vibrate the one above the other below the table, the cutting-.line always being in the plane of the upper surface of the table. Y

As this machine enables an operator to cut through a great number of thicknesses of cloth or other goods at once, it is particularly applicable to the use of manufacturers of clothing where a great number of pieces are cut from one pattern. I may here state that with the machine which I have built, -I have cut through nineteen thicknesses of heavy cloth, following the pattern on las small a curve as is ever required in cutting out mens garments. And by using the knife in an inclined position when cutting on a straight line or on a large circle, I find that a much larger amount of work may be done with the machine, and the edges of the cuts are straighter or smoother than if the cloth had to be pushed hard up against the edge of the knife, vcausing it to crowd up or wrinkle. I also find that by forming the blade y` as shown in Fig. 1, with an offset or bend in it I am enabled to cut more rapidly when the blade is working in or near a vertical line and follow the pattern even on small curves without distorting the pattern by having to press the cloth hard up to the blade as I would have to do with a straight blade. l

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent on machines for cutting out garments is- 1. Hanging the blade fto a reciprocating frame7 so that the position or inclination of the blade with respect to the plane of the table A may be varied as required, substantially as specified.`

2. I claim bending forward or projecting a portion of the cutting edge of the fblade f, and extending the cutting edge below the bend substantially as shown in Fig. l, for

the purpose specified.

FRDERIC H. MOORE.

Witnesses:

SAM. 1 COOPER, P. E. TEscHEMAcrrER. 

